Health officers in Marin County and six other Bay Area jurisdictions formally extended a stay-at-home order until May 3 in an effort to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
The original three-week order would have expired on Tuesday, April 7.
“While the prior order has been effective in reducing the rate of transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), it is not enough,” a county press release states. “There has been a significant increase in the number of positive cases, hospitalization and deaths from COVID-19, which is beginning to strain healthcare resources.”
The health officers, representing seven Bay Area jurisdictions, have determined that “more and stricter social distancing is needed to slow the rate of spread, prevent deaths, and stop the health care system from becoming overwhelmed,” according to the release.
The new stay-at-home order will supersede the previous order and go into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31.
It is a complement to the indefinite statewide stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this month.
Like the previous local order, the new order requires people to stay at home except for doing essential activities, such as grocery shopping, in six counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, as well as the city of Berkeley. Non-essential businesses will remain closed.
More information about Marin County’s new stay-at-home order is available here.
